Internal Flames
by rainbowolf13
Summary: Nicole Haught is one of only three female fire lieutenants in the state. On a chance meeting following a massive rescue, she meets Waverly Earp, a lovely paramedic who captivates her from the start. **Original story idea credited to iwaseliteonce Twitter: @rainbowolf13
1. Chapter 1 - Rescue Me

Chapter 1 - Rescue Me

Nicole jolted awake, the sound of the alarm ringing loudly in her ears. Instinct took over and she lept out of her bed, arriving at her locker within seconds. With skilled ease, she stepped into the boots of her turnout gear and pulled the pants up, securing the suspenders on her shoulders. She zipped up her turnout jacket before grabbing the other essentials-helmet, gloves, and self-contained breathing apparatus. She checked to make sure her crew was ready and climbed into the passenger seat of the truck, carefully placing her headset over her ears.

She called across the radio to gather details on the call. "Dispatch, this is Lieutenant Haught with Rescue 13. I am ready to copy." She carefully wrote down the information and directed the driver where to go. They were officially enroute to a massive fire at an apartment complex a few miles away. Her adrenaline kicked in and she was ready to take care of business.

Nicole's mouth dropped as they arrived on scene. The three-story apartment building was almost entirely engulfed in flames except for one apartment on the first floor at the far right of the building. "Holy shit," she said aloud. "Boys, let's make sure everyone is out and do our best to get this blaze put out. Our safety is important as well. Be smart, stay with your buddy, and let's make sure we come out of this alive." Her crew acknowledged her as they parked the truck. She climbed out, placing her bright red helmet on her head and securing the strap. There were a lot of people out front and she started clearing them back for their safety.

"Help! Someone please help!" Nicole's head shot around, her eyes falling on a middle-aged woman running towards her. "My neighbor is still in there! She's disabled and doesn't move well and she can't get out!" The woman pointed towards the apartment that wasn't on fire. Yet. She quickly flagged down her buddy, Jeremy, as she put on her mask and they ran for the back door of the apartment.

The team checked to see if the door was unlocked. Bingo. Nicole carefully slid it open. Too much air and oxygen too quickly could cause the fire to explode in their faces if the fire was already in that apartment without them knowing. So far, so good. They slowly walked in, checking to see if there was any sign of a blaze while looking for the woman who lived there. "Ma'am? Are you in here? Please yell if you can hear me!" Nicole heard the faint sound of someone coughing. She motioned for Jeremy to follow and they quickly made their way towards the sound. She pushed open the door of a bedroom and was met with black smoke. She strained her eyes to see and called out to the woman again.

She found the old woman curled up in the corner, barely hanging on. She ran over and scooped her up in her arms, cradling her against her chest. Jeremy used his flashlight to show her the way out and he followed her out, watching her back. They moved quickly through the apartment, the fire bearing down on the small apartment like a tornado. Nicole heard a faint roar. "Jeremy! Move out! Now!" They both ran through the back door as fast as they could. Seconds later, the entire side of the building exploded, shooting flames out of every possible window. The firefighters dropped to the ground, shielding the woman from burning embers and shards of glass. They quickly got to safety and Nicole laid the woman on the ground. She was barely breathing.

The medics were at her side immediately and she ripped off her mask as she reached for the oxygen mask, carefully placing it over the woman's nose and mouth as she cradled her head in her lap. "Take deep breaths, ma'am. You're going to be okay. Slow, deep breaths." The woman looked up at her with tears in her eyes and weakly wrapped her hand around Nicole's wrist, her body limp. Nicole fought back tears, knowing if she had been two minutes later, the woman would be dead. She watched the woman's breaths become easier and she let out a sigh of relief.

"That was intense. I don't know how you made it out before that explosion, but this lady is lucky you were there. I was seriously afraid you guys weren't going to make it out of there." Nicole looked up. Her eyes met the bright hazel ones of a beautiful brunette paramedic kneeling across from her. "Great job," she leaned towards Nicole to see her name badge, "Lieutenant Haught." Nicole stared at the woman. She was completely caught off guard by her beauty that she almost forgot to respond.

"Oh, uhm, thanks. It's just part of the job and it's what I love about it. Saving people's lives!" She looked back down at her patient, who was finally starting to try to move. She removed the oxygen mask and helped the woman sit up. "There you go, ma'am. Take it nice and slow. We're going to get you to the hospital to get you checked out, okay?" The old lady looked up at Nicole and she could see the tear streaks through the ash on her face.

"It's not ma'am, it's Catherine," the old woman said hoarsely, the effects of the smoke showing themselves clearly. "Thank you so much for saving my life. I knew I was going to die tonight and I was saying my final prayers. Then God sent me an angel. You are my angel." Catherine looked towards the medic on her other side. "You should keep this angel," she said as she gestured towards Nicole before a wicked cough wracked her frail body.

Tears filled Nicole's eyes and love filled her heart. This is why she loved her job. She couldn't save everyone, but the ones she did save stayed with her forever. She just smiled at the woman and squeezed her hand as she fought to control her emotions. She gestured at the medic to help her stand the woman up and get her onto the stretcher. She stood at the back of the ambulance, preparing to close the doors, when the medic turned to her.

"By the way, I'm Waverly. Waverly Earp. I will see you around soon." She smiled and Nicole smiled back.

"I'm Nicole, and that sounds like a plan to me. Take care of Catherine for me." She closed the doors and hit them twice, signaling to the driver they were good to go. She watched the ambulance drive off, red lights flashing in her eyes, but all she could see were hazel ones staring back at her through the windows.

Nicole sat in the front seat of Rescue 13, filling out paperwork while the ladder and tanker trucks got the blaze under control. She tried to focus on what she was writing, but she couldn't stop thinking about the medic. She wished she could have talked to her a little longer. She was mindlessly writing down the details of Catherine's rescue when Jeremy's voice startled her. She jumped, sending the pen flying at his face.

"Whoa there, Lieutenant! I didn't mean to scare you! Are you alright?"

"What? Yeah, I-I'm fine. S-sorry, Jeremy! I didn't mean to hit you with a pen. I get you out of a dangerous situation just to kill you with a pen!"

Jeremy held his hands up. "It's okay! It's okay! I just wanted to check on you and make sure you were good. Thanks for getting us out of there when you did. I haven't been that scared in a long time."

"Yes, yes. I'm good. No problem. We're a team and it's my job to make sure we are safe. You know that!" Nicole placed a hand on her crew member's shoulder, squeezing it reassuringly. "Plus, Henry would kill me if I let anything happen to you!"

Jeremy gave her a huge grin as she climbed out of the truck and helped him start packing up the secured the truck and Nicole made her way over to the fire chief to make sure they were clear to leave the scene. He congratulated her on her rescue and granted the permission to return to the station. She checked her watch as they pulled out of the complex. It was 2:45am. They'd been on scene for 3 hours and she had no idea. Her mind had been on her rescue and on that medic. She desperately hoped she'd be able to sleep when they got back. She needed it!

After a quick shower, she climbed into bed and exhaustion overtook her. She was asleep within minutes, images of the beautiful medic flashing through her dreams as her voice echoed, almost on repeat. "I'm Waverly. Waverly Earp. Great job, Lieutenant Haught." She could hear it as if she were next to her. Nicole woke up slowly, a smile on her face. It was going to be a good day. She could feel it.

Jeremy made breakfast for everyone and they sat discussing the previous night's call and the entire crew debriefing. Her boys trusted her with their lives, that was evident. They had a confidence in her that filled her with pride and duty outside of protecting the general public. She thanked Jeremy for the meal and headed for the weight room for her regular workout.

Nicole sat on the weight bench in soccer shorts and a sports bra, adjusting her headphones and browsing through her music. She decided on Mudvayne-hardcore music for a hardcore workout to clear her mind. She slipped her phone into her pocket and started pressing weights, sweat beginning to run down her back as she worked her muscles. She was so into her workout and music that she didn't hear the door behind her open.

Waverly stood in the doorway next to Jeremy, staring at Nicole's back. It took all of her effort not to leave her jaw hanging. Her body glistened with sweat, shimmering like water in sunlight. She could see her muscles working hard under her skin, every single one visible along her back and shoulders. Her mouth went dry and she bit her lip slightly as she took in the mental image for later use. Jeremy's voice cut through her mind as he called out to get Nicole's attention. She watched him walk in and point towards her. The ripped goddess before her turned to face her, bringing with it toned arms, chest, and abs. Waverly's knees went weak and then Nicole smiled at her. She had no clue how she was still standing.

Nicole was shocked to see the medic standing before her. At first, she felt exposed and almost naked wearing only her sports bra and shorts. She wiped her face and tossed the towel over her shoulder as she walked up to her. "Uhm, h-ey Waverly." The words came out shakier than she intended. She watched as Waverly looked her up and down before meeting her eyes. She saw her swallow hard.

"Hi, Nicole. Uhm, wow. I-I'm sorry I messed up your workout. I-" she paused as she started to turn away. "I'll just go and stop by later or something so you can get back to looking se-. Erm, I mean, getting s-stronger."

Nicole couldn't help but smile. She placed her hand on Waverly's arm. "No, no. It's fine. I was almost done for the day anyway except for a run, which I can do later in the day. What brought you to the station?"

"I, uhm, I just...I just wanted to give you an update on Catherine. I checked on her before my shift ended when I dropped off another patient. She's recovering and should be discharged this afternoon. Her lungs are irritated from the smoke inhalation, but that was the worst of it."

"I am so happy to hear that. I was really worried about her, even though I knew she would be okay." Nicole smiled again, her dimples showing prominently. "I was thinking of calling my nurse friend to check in on her after my workout. Thank you for stopping by to tell me, even though you really didn't have to do that."

"You're welcome. I thought you might want to know and I live over this way, so I thought I'd just swing by. I also, uhm…" She glanced nervously at Jeremy, who picked up the hint and walked into the tv room. "I also wanted to see if maybe, uhm, you wanted to go grab lunch sometime. When you're not on duty and I'm not working, obviously. I know you work 48 hour shifts and all and I don't know when you're off so we would have to talk about it and, well, yeah…"

"Waverly…" She waited until the medic met her eyes again. "I'd love to go have lunch with you sometime. Let me see your phone." Nicole took the phone from her hands, glad she could blame the shaking on her hard workout. She saved her number to her contacts. "There. Now you can call or text me when you've got time. I get off tomorrow morning sometime around 9am." She smiled again, her heart pounding in her chest. "Now how about you get home and get some rest since you worked all night."

She took a step towards Waverly, nudging her towards the door with her hand on the small over back. She was adorably short next to her, perfect for wrapping her arms around her shoulders in a hug from behind. She shook her head. Easy on the thoughts, Nicole! They walked out together, shoulders nearly touching. Nicole watched as Waverly climbed into a red Jeep Wrangler and smiled at her before driving off. She headed back into the station to go get cleaned up. She stood in the shower thinking of the recent events, and smiled when she heard her phone go off.


	2. Chapter 2 - Paradise

Chapter 2 - Paradise

Nicole spent most of the day texting Waverly as she finished up her paperwork for the shift. They set up a plan to meet for lunch after she got off the next morning. It wasn't even close to the time to meet her yet, but her nerves were shot. She had butterflies in her stomach that she hadn't felt since her first girl crush in high school. The ever so confident Lieutenant Nicole Haught, one of only three female fire lieutenants in the state, who has medals of honor and bravery for risking her life time and time again, was a melted ball of nerves at just the thought of Waverly Earp. She wasn't afraid of anything or at least that's how she carried herself. Yet here she was sitting at her desk, texting a girl she just met and her stomach was in knots.

She woke the following morning full of nerves and excitement. Her team was relieved earlier than usual so she headed home and took a shower and made herself presentable. She settled for a simple emerald green tank top, fitted jeans, and sneakers. Her work uniform made her want to feel somewhat like a woman so she applied a little eyeliner and mascara. She stared at herself in the mirror. She still boasted confidence on the outside despite the nervous wreck she was on the inside. Hopefully Waverly doesn't see through to the nervousness! She checked the time and headed for her truck.

Nicole sat in her F150 waiting for Waverly. She had arrived 10 minutes early without intention, excitement causing her to drive a little faster than usual. She watched as Waverly's Jeep pulled into the parking lot then climbed out to meet her. They greeted each other with wide smiles and bright eyes full of anticipation. They walked side by side into the restaurant, Nicole holding the door open for Waverly as they entered. Waverly picked a table in a quiet corner and Nicole slid into the booth across from her.

"I'm glad you agreed to come here with me," Waverly began. "They have the best deli sandwiches around. I found it when I was on the day shift and my partner and I used to eat here a lot. They will also take care of us since we are first responders. They're really cool here. They have this club sandwich that is just to die for. It has a vinaigrette on it that is homemade, if that's what you can call it in a restaurant, and I can't figure out their secret ingredient that makes it so good. I'm sorry. I'm talking a lot. How was the rest of your shift?" Nicole watched as Waverly shifted nervously and smiled.

"You can talk as much as you want. I will take your word on this sandwich and I'll give that a go. I haven't heard of this place before. Work was pretty quiet after the fire a couple nights ago. We had a few car accidents that we responded to, but nothing too serious thankfully. Did you work last night?"

"Yes, but I am off tonight and tomorrow night. I work two on, two off, and every other weekend. Sometimes I wish we had duty shifts like you do."

They continued casually talking about work and life in general as their food arrived and was consumed. Nicole realized they had been there for two hours already and felt bad for taking up a table for no reason. "Hey, do you want to go walk by the lake?" Waverly nodded as Nicole grabbed the check to pay.

"What do you think you're doing?" Waverly asked as she reached to take the check from her hands. Nicole pulled it back before she could.

"What does it look like I'm doing?" Nicole flashed a big grin in Waverly's direction as she handed her debit card to the server. "I'm paying for lunch!"

Waverly huffed. "I invited you to lunch so I was going to take care of that!" She smirked before fake huffing again.

"Too late. It looks like I took you to lunch. And don't huff at me. You can pay next time." Nicole cringed internally at her words. What if there wasn't a next time? She watched as Waverly crossed her arms and dramatically sat back against the booth with a smirk. She placed her card back into her wallet and grabbed her keys. "Ready? We can take my truck if you want to, since it's right down the road." Nicole led Waverly towards her truck and opened the passenger door for her, watching as she leapt up into it with minimal effort. She closed the door and smiled to herself before climbing into the driver's seat.

They walked along the banks of the lake, following a well-beaten path. They talked like old friends. They joked and laughed with each other, flirting back and forth with soft touches on arms and shoulders. Ducks and geese swam along the shore expecting food to be tossed their way. The women paid them no attention. They were immersed in their own world of just each other until Nicole stopped.

"Here we are. Come on. I want to show you something. I hope you don't mind a small hike." She began walking down an almost-hidden trail deeper into the woods along the edge of the water and Waverly followed close behind. They emerged into a small clearing. Large boulders rose up from the water to their right and a field of wildflowers swayed in the breeze to their left.

"Wow," Waverly whispered. "This is absolutely beautiful and so peaceful. You don't even realize there is a city right through the trees!"

Nicole smiled as she continued walking towards the rocks. She hopped across a few of them towards a flat boulder a few feet from dry land. She climbed up and extended her hand to Waverly to help her up. Her heart fluttered in the brief moment that their hands met and she noticed that Waverly hesitated on letting go. She sat down facing the lake and patted the spot next to her. Waverly sat closely, their shoulders touching.

Waverly looked out over the lake and gasped. Crystal clear waters stretched out before her. In the distance, they seemed to effortlessly join the steep cliffs of the mountains. She could see the clouds and sky reflecting on the water as clearly as if she were looking up at them. Nicole watched as the view left her breathless. "This...this place is amazing! I had no idea it was here! How did you find it?"

Nicole drew her knees up to her chest and rested her chin on them. "I found it on accident. I have a knack for exploring and I saw a deer trail one day and decided to follow it. It led me to this. I come here when I need to clear my head or just relax." She watched Waverly out of the corner of her eye, listening to the water lapping against their rock before tilting her head sideways. "Why did you come up to the station yesterday?" she asked nervously.

Waverly smirked sheepishly. "If you really want to know, it's because I thought you were amazing from the moment I saw you. Not just because you looked like a badass in your gear or because you fearlessly saved that woman's life. I-I felt this strange…" she paused to form her thoughts. "I felt this strange connection to you as soon as I saw you. Then speaking to you amplified it. I don't know how to explain it to you. I wanted to be in your presence again to be sure it wasn't just the adrenaline of what was happening at that fire. I felt it again as soon as I saw you at the station."

Nicole stared at the water and laughed a little, intending for it to be an internal laugh. Waverly gave her a confused look silently asking why she was laughing. She turned her head to look directly into Waverly's eyes. "I felt it, too. Some sort of connection. I didn't realize it until after because I was so preoccupied with my patient and making sure she was going to make it. But as you were pulling away from me, it became clear to me that there was something about you. Then what Catherine said to you about keeping me...she seemed to think we were already together, like she saw a bond or something. I don't know."

"I noticed that, too. The comment that she made. It was definitely weird. I'm surprised you didn't see the look of shock followed by the smile that I had. I already planned to try to find you after that call, if I could. There's just something about you that draws me in, Nicole, and I want to find out what it is."

Thunder rolled loudly, interrupting their conversation. They moved quickly off of the rocks and began to hurry back to the truck. Before they could reach the shelter of the trees, the rain began pouring down. Nicole groaned as she started to run towards the tree-line. Waverly reached out and grabbed her wrist. She pulled her back, laughing. "Why are you running from the rain? We did leave our phones in your truck so we didn't worry about dropping them in the lake. So what's wrong with some rain?"

Nicole watched Waverly look up to the sky with outstretched arms, rain drenching her from head to toe. In that moment, she'd never seen anyone so beautiful. She moved opposite of her and mirrored her actions. She felt the rain falling on her face and felt the beads of water running down her skin. She looked at Waverly who was now staring at her. Without words, Waverly stepped closer and linked their hands before bringing them to their sides. Electricity shot through Nicole as she stared back at Waverly.

Waverly moved even closer and gently pressed her lips to Nicole's before drawing back. She quickly let go of her hands and took a step back. "I-I'm sorry. I-I shouldn't have done that. It's too soon and you don't even know me and I'm sor-"

Nicole closed the space between them and kissed Waverly mid-sentence, her hand coming to rest on her cheek. Waverly's arms slide around her neck as she pressed into her. Nicole felt a spark ignite in her heart as if all she needed was this woman to light it. She wrapped her other arm around her waist, pulling her closer. She kissed her softly, their lips dancing an ageless dance as the storm brewed around them.


	3. Chapter 3 - Lightshow

Chapter 3 - Lightshow

Nicole sat silently on her couch replaying the day in her head. How did she manage to not back down from Waverly? Despite her confidence, she was shy with women. Very shy. Her fingers traced her own lips where she could still feel Waverly's hours later. Damn. This woman drove her crazy and they only just met! She smiled to herself. The kiss didn't feel like the first time and her heart seemed to howl with happiness as soon as their lips met.

She decided to wanted to do something fun on her day off, with Waverly. Oddly enough, they had the exact same days off so something fun to release the stress of their jobs would be good. She started thinking long and hard on something to do. Got it! She picked up her phone and called Waverly. She answered so quickly that it caught Nicole off-guard.

"Hey there, Lieutenant!"

"Oh, uhm, hey Waverly. W-what are you doing tomorrow?" She grimaced at herself and told herself to get it together.

"I don't have any plans. What's up?"

"I was just thinking. I want to go have some fun, but it's a secret until tomorrow. Do you want to go with me?"

"Uhm...fun but a secret? Let's do it!"

The two women figured out the details a little more with Nicole picking Waverly up at 10am the next morning. They stayed on the phone talking for a couple of hours before exhaustion from their shifts took over. Nicole curled up in her bed, listening to Waverly talk about something she loves. Nicole smiled to herself before saying goodnight and falling asleep to images of Waverly Earp.

Waverly hopped up into Nicole's truck with ease as they headed out. "Hey! So what's the surprise?" She couldn't hide the excitement in her voice.

"You will see when we get there." Nicole laughed softly. "First, we're getting something to eat. Breakfast for lunch?"

She watched as Waverly nodded. They made a quick stop at the restaurant and scarfed down some food. Nicole watched Waverly fidget impatiently in the passenger seat and grinned to herself as they turned into a parking lot. Waverly squealed with excitement and Nicole laughed. The parking lot was nearly empty and Nicole pulled her truck into a spot right at the front door.

Waverly was almost jumping up and down. "This is going to be so awesome, Nicole! We have to do the go-karts and the super fast go-karts and arcade games." She paused and let out a quick gasp. "Laser tag! That is happening! And you are so getting killed!"

Nicole gave her a "yeah right" look as she walked in beside her. They headed for the counter, picking out the arcade games that they wanted to play after go-karts and everything else. Nicole couldn't help but think how expensive this date, if you could call it that, was going to be, yet worth every bit. The two made it up to the counter and purchased all of their tickets in advance. Go-karts, regular and the fast ones, batting cages, mini-golf, rock climbing, they intended to do everything. They nearly skipped out of the back doors before heading straight to the go-karts.

They were the only two outside at the time and the ride attendant let them take as many laps as they wanted to. They rode the go-karts for 2 hours before doing everything else. They saved mini golf for last. Nicole and Waverly laughed at each other's horrible putt-putt skills and had the time of their lives missing every shot. After a round of golf, they headed back inside where they battled in air hockey and a few other silly games.

"Come on," Nicole said as she grabbed Waverly's hand and dragged her back towards the counter. Waverly didn't fight; instead she laced her fingers with Nicole's as they walked. Nicole glanced down at their hands before looking at Waverly and grinning. As they approached the counter, Nicole purchased two tickets for unlimited laser tag.

Waverly squealed with excitement. "Yes! My favorite arcade-place thing to do! I used to kick my sister's butt in laser tag when we got to play. You have no idea who you're up against, Nicole Haught!"

"Challenge accepted! You have no idea who YOU are up against, Waverly Earp! I'm gonna get you good!"

They laughed as they suited up. They were the only players there. The attendant told them they could play as long as they wanted, and if other people showed up, she would signal them to end their game. Both women agreed as they each entered competition mode.

"You're going down, Lieutenant!"

"Pfft. Catch me if you can, medic!" Nicole bolted into the foggy darkness. The room was similar to a dark, smoky house and her eyes were easily acclimated to it. She darted between walls towards the back of the room and hid behind a bunker. Rock music blared from the speakers overhead, eliminating any chance for her to hear Waverly coming. After a few minutes of nothing, she decided to go hunting.

She snuck quietly behind walls, looking for any sign of Waverly. Where on earth was she hiding? The room wasn't that large so where was she? The wail of her own vest caught her off guard and it lit up in blue lights. Nicole whipped around to face Waverly who stood there laughing at the shock on Nicole's face.

"Gotcha! I thought you were going to kill me first?" Waverly continued to laugh, forgetting that Nicole's gun would soon reactivate. Her vest wailed and lit up in red. It was Nicole's turn to laugh before she bolted between the walls.

Waverly was in hot pursuit, missing some shots and making others while dodging Nicole's. They laughed as they ran through the room. Nicole paused and leaned against a wall, laughing and trying to catch her breath.

"Time out! Time out! I can't breathe! I can't stop laughing long enough to catch my breath!"

The smaller girl stood across from her watching her chest heave with each deep breath. Memories of her in the gym flooded Waverly's brain. She wanted to run her hands along those muscles, feeling them flex beneath her hands. She quickly closed the distance between them. She all but pressed Nicole into the wall as she placed her hand on her cheek, running her thumb along Nicole's lips and staring into her eyes.

Nicole's heart raced in her chest. She gently kissed Waverly's thumb as she grabbed her hips to pull her closer and Waverly bit her lip softly. They stared into each other's eyes in the dark room. Nicole's breath caught again as Waverly leaned up, pinning her tight to the wall, and kissed her. It had far more intent than the day before and she melted. Waverly slid her arms around Nicole's neck and held herself as closely as she could with the vests in the way.

After some time, they broke the kiss. Both women were breathing hard as their foreheads came together. Nicole sighed aloud. "I said I couldn't breathe. That didn't quite mean take my breath away more. However, I am not complaining."

"I'm not sorry, and I intend on doing that again when there are no bulky vests between us." She pulled her head back and smirked up at the redhead as she ran her fingers through her hair. Her heart leapt as she saw a hint of darkness flash across her eyes as she smiled back at her. That smile was going to ruin her. Waverly leaned up and kissed her again until the sound of the buzzer interrupted them, signaling the end of their game. They headed out, hand in hand, dropping their vests off before checking their scores.

They looked at the screen as the scores populated. _Blue: 140, Red: 145._ Waverly playfully shoved Nicole's shoulder. "I told you I was going to kick your butt!"

Nicole snorted. "Barely! Five points. That is all that you beat me by and that's because you cheated! You shot me after I called time out!"

"I did not! You distracted me! A beautiful distraction, but a distraction still! Plus, a win's a win! So what's my prize?"

"You can pay for dinner. That's your prize!"

Waverly huffed at the response as she lightly shoulder-checked Nicole before taking her hand. They climbed into the truck and headed back towards Nicole's favorite restaurant and bar for dinner.


	4. Chapter 4 - Scene Secure

Chapter 4 - Scene Secure

Waverly woke to her alarm that signaled it was time to get ready. Her long weekend of work was upon her again. She groaned and rolled over before sitting up, legs hanging over the edge of the bed. She rubbed her eyes as her phone went off. She looked down and saw Nicole's name. "Hey you," she groggily answered.

"Good morning, bright eyes and bushy tail!"

Waverly groaned. "There are no bright eyes or bushy tails here."

She heard Nicole chuckle and smiled to herself. "It's time to get up. If I had to be here at 9am this morning, you have to go in, too."

"I hate night shift. At least you get to sleep tonight, LT."

They talked for a few more minutes until Waverly had to take a last second shower. She got dressed and her stuff together for her shift before driving to work. On the way, her phone rang again. "Hello?"

"Waves! Hey! You work tonight, yeah?" Wynonna's voice echoed in her ear.

"Yeah. Why are you so cheery?"

"Well, because I got put on night shift a couple days ago and I work the same days as you now. So maybe I'll see you on the streets soon! Y'know, since you haven't been to see me in forever."

"I know. I'm really sorry. I've been sidetracked lately. I'm sure we will run into each other, and if not, we will make plans for next week, okay?"

Wynonna agreed and Waverly hung up as she pulled into work. She got her truck prepared and did her pre-shift checks before taking over the rig. Immediately after informing dispatch they were in service, they got a call. Of course it's going to be a long night.

The sirens wailed around her head as Rosita maneuvered through traffic. They were enroute to a nasty car accident; dispatch informed them it was tractor trailer versus small car. Waverly prepared for the worst as they approached the scene.

A silver car was in pieces, resting upside down across the intersection, blocking all traffic entirely. Was it a Nissan Versa? Waverly couldn't quite tell anymore. The semi had come to a stop in the grass twenty feet away where it had narrowly missed a power pole. She couldn't hold in the thought that escaped her lips. "Oh my god."

The medics grabbed their gear, including the automatic external defibrillator (AED) and drug box. Waverly could see the fire truck parked opposite of her rig, but couldn't see the numbers. She wondered if it was Nicole. Her heart leapt at the thought before she came back to earth to do her job. They made their way towards the silver car where the firefighters were working to free the people inside. The sound of creaking metal made Waverly shake her head. It It was the sound of the Hurst power tool, the "Jaws of Life", at work.

As she approached the car, she could see two people in the front seats and they were pinned by the dashboard, the seat belts they wore being the only thing holding them stable and keeping them from falling headfirst. "Holy shit," she breathed aloud. It was the worst crash she'd seen in a long time. No one could safely get to the patients to stop their bleeding until they were freed from their prison. Waverly stood back with Rosita as they watched the Jaws of Life tear through the frame, a long and grueling process. She saw another of her units pull up on scene and check over the driver of the semi who appeared to be uninjured but distraught.

A voice in her ear broke her stare. "Hey, Sis." She turned to see Wynonna who took position on her other side to watch the rescue efforts. She smiled her hello, shock taking her voice. Her instincts had her wanting to help the people who were trapped, but safety meant she had to wait. Safety was their number one rule. They watched as they removed the doors and began to careful extract the patients.

As soon as the first one was free, Waverly went to work. Her patient was a male that was approximately 45 years old and had an obvious open pneumothorax, a hole in his chest typically referred to as a "sucking chest wound", along with massive head and neck injuries. She immediately radioed for the LifeFlight helicopter to be dispatched. The other medics were working on a female patient and they seemed to have her stabilized. Waverly's patient was in critical condition and she had to work quickly.

She placed a chest seal over the chest wound to protect it and seal it. Rosita placed a cervical collar on him as Waverly made her way down his body, documenting every injury, before taking his blood pressure and pulse. It was weak but still there. The team was able to get him stable enough to be flown out and got him strapped to the backboard as the helicopter landed. She transferred care to the flight nurse and took a step back to finally breathe.

Waverly and Rosita stood next to their rig filling out the necessary paperwork before they could leave the scene. Wynonna joined them. She wrapped her arm around Waverly's shoulders. "Nice save, baby girl. Are you alright after that fiasco?"

"Yeah, I'm good. Hopefully he makes it. He was in pretty bad shape."

"He was, but you know what you're doing and I think he will pull through thanks to your quick thinking."

Waverly leaned into her sister, careful not to hit the gun posted on her hip. They stood talking about the accident, the medics correlating what they witnessed onto their documentation. She didn't see the fire department SUV pull up behind her.

Nicole's heart dropped in her chest as she watched the woman with her arm around Waverly. Why would Waverly do this, knowing she was bound to show up to the accident at some point since she was the area Lieutenant? Her throat choked up and she fought back tears. Why did she even care? Waverly wasn't her girlfriend. Why should it matter if she was talking to someone else, too? Jealousy still took over Nicole. She was mad, upset. Waverly was supposed to be hers. She was going to ask her out on a real date after their long weekend and take her somewhere special. "I guess it doesn't matter," she said aloud to her car as she slammed it into park. "I have to do my job."

She climbed out of the truck and made her way angrily to the scene, jaw set in annoyance. Waverly turned to look at her, breaking the hold the cop had around her shoulders. "Nicole! There you are! I was hoping you were going to be here!" Nicole kept walking. "Nicole? Lieutenant Haught!" Waverly caught her by her elbow and spun her around.

"What? I have a job to do." Nicole was angry.

Waverly took a step back in shock. "What is wrong with you, Nicole? Why are you so pissed?"

"Hmm...I don't know? Maybe because the woman I really like has some cop all over her?" She huffed her annoyance again and turned to walk away, but Waverly's grip didn't allow that.

"Are you serious? Wynonna! Come here please!" Wynonna made her way towards Waverly. "Nicole, meet my sister, Wynonna. She's a sheriff's deputy, and my SISTER." She emphasized the last word.

Nicole's face went red. She got worked up over her sister? She reminded herself to kick her own butt later. "Oh. Uhm...h-hi. I'm N-Nicole. Wow...I'm sorry you met me like this. I-I don't know what got into me." She extended her hand.

Wynonna shook it warmly. "It's okay, Nicole. It's nice to finally meet you! I've heard quite a bit about you!"

Waverly shot Wynonna a look, silently telling her to shut her mouth. "Anyway, Nicole has to get her job done as Lieutenant, so we'll let you get to that, babe." Oops. She didn't just call her babe, did she? She flinched before they said their goodbyes. She walked back to her rig to finish her paperwork, watching Nicole walk away with a grin on her face. She never noticed how her pants hugged her rear so perfectly and her polo short formed perfectly around her muscled arms. She swallowed hard. She couldn't wait to run her hands down that Lieutenant.

The sun rose high into a clear blue sky as Waverly headed towards her house on Monday morning. Despite sleeping all day Saturday and Sunday, she was exhausted. They had run their tails off the entire weekend and barely had time to eat and she had a late call that morning. She was glad it was her two days off and planned on sleeping the entire day. She was so tired that she struggled unlocking her front door.

"Hey." The soft whisper behind her made Waverly jump sky-high and drop her keys. She quickly spun around and found herself face to face with Nicole.

"Holy crap, Nicole! You can just sneak up on people like that! You nearly gave me a heart attack!" She placed her hand over her heart and caught her breath.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you. I just wanted to stop by on my way home and say hi and see how your weekend went. I heard how many calls you had all weekend."

Waverly got her front door unlocked and kicked it open. "It was disgustingly busy. This is the most exhausted I have felt in a long time. I'm almost positive it's a full moon. Do you want to come in for a minute before I crash?"

She walked in and dropped her gear next to the couch before falling onto it. Nicole dropped down next to her, their legs touching. Waverly let out an exasperated sigh. "I. Am. So. Beat."

Nicole chuckled. "I imagine so! You need to go to sleep for a little while so we can do something later."

"Something like what?"

"It's a secret, but you'll enjoy yourself, I think." Nicole smiled a big smile at her.

Waverly smiled back before making Nicole slide over to the end of the couch. She laid her head in Nicole's lap, looking up at her. Nicole started to run her fingers through her hair. She sighed again, this time a sigh of contentment, and closed her eyes to rest them for a minute. "You're going to put me to sleep in your lap if you keep doing that to my hair."

"That's fine. You can go to sleep right here if you want to."

She woke up a little while later tucked away in her bed. Had Nicole really carried her to her bed? Of course she could manage that; she was strong and carried people out of burning buildings all the time. Waverly smiled as she snuggled into her pillow and thought of the amazing woman. How was she so lucky? She picked up her phone to check the time.

There were a couple of texts from Nicole and she unlocked her phone to read them, smiling before she even knew what they said.

 _N: Good morning, beautiful. I assume you realize now that I moved you to your bed. I hope you slept well._

 _N: Let me know when you wake up so we can figure out this evening. PS: You're adorable when you sleep._

Waverly blushed as she grinned from ear to ear. Nicole was beyond amazing. She responded to the texts that she was awake and invited her back over to her house to hang out until she could find out what the surprise was. Waverly laid back down to wait, completely unable to rid herself of the smile that was plastered to her face.


	5. Chapter 5 - Into the Night

Chapter 5 - Into the Night

Nicole read Waverly's text again to get the code to the front door that she had locked on her way out. She punched in the numbers and walked in, saying Waverly's name loudly to announce her presence.

"I'm in here." She heard Waverly's voice coming from her bedroom. She followed the same path she took earlier that morning down the hallway towards her room. As she rounded the corner, she saw Waverly curled up in her blankets watching a show on her phone. Her chest warmed at the smile she received.  
"Hey, you." Waverly flipped over onto her back as she greeted her.  
"Hey, yourself, Miss Earp. I thought you were supposed to be up and at 'em already?" Nicole sat down on the edge of the bed, looking down at the brunette with joking eyes.  
"Meh. I didn't feel like getting up yet. I'm still exhausted. So what is this surprise?"  
"It's a surprise that you can't find out about unless you get up and get dressed. Although you have some time until we have to be there, so if you want to stay curled up in bed watching movies, you can do that and I will come back later to pick you up."

Nicole watched the brunette roll her eyes before her arms were around her waist, pulling her down onto her back beside her. Waverly scooted closer and snuggled into her shoulder. Nicole's heart raced as her arm draped across her stomach. "You're not going anywhere. And I hope I'm not making you uncomfortable."  
She smiled down at the beautiful woman tucked into her side. "Nope. This is...perfect." She wrapped her arm around her and pulled her in close as her soul beamed and her heart leapt in her chest. Nicole had known this woman for all of a couple of weeks and she couldn't stop the flutter of butterflies in her stomach. She couldn't remember the last time she had butterflies for anyone.  
She felt Waverly's breathing slow. She looked down at her, peaceful sleep decorating her expression. She shifted slightly, making herself more comfortable, and watched the brunette smile in her sleep as her arm tightened, holding Nicole close. Nicole set an alarm on her phone before wrapping her arms around a sleeping Waverly and dozing off herself.

"Come on, Waverly! We are going to be late!"  
"I'm coming, I'm coming! Geesh!"

Nicole watched Waverly come out of her bedroom wearing dark jeans and a white and blue striped shirt that hung just off of her shoulders. Tan ankle-high boots completed her outfit. How could someone make a simple outfit look that good? Nicole internally shook herself out of the trance.  
"It's about time you showed up." She gave her a sarcastic smile. "Let's go before we are late!"  
The two walked to Nicole's truck and she opened up the passenger door. Waverly effortlessly hopped right in. She walked around to the driver's side, grabbing her plaid button-down off of the seat and slipping it on before climbing in and heading to their destination.  
They pull into a restaurant that Waverly knew well, but had never actually been to. She looked at Nicole with wide eyes and her mouth hanging open. "Uhm...w-why are we here? This place is expensive!"  
Nicole just smiled as she parked the truck and walked around to open Waverly's door. She offered her arm out and smiled as they linked elbows. As they approached the hostess stand, she gave the hostess her name and the women were led to a quiet table in the corner of the restaurant. They sat down and ordered a bottle of wine and an appetizer before Waverly looked at Nicole with a serious expression.

"Once again, this place is expensive. Why are we here?"  
"Because. It's a surprise, remember? You do not have any say in where I choose to take you for a surprise date." Nicole smirked across the table as their wine arrived.  
"A date. You brought me on an actual date and didn't even tell me." Waverly's expression softened as she smiled back.

Nicole's heart nearly exploded. She already loved to make Waverly smile and intended on spoiling her as much as possible. They ordered their food and talked about their favorite things in life. They both loved sports, being outdoors, and their careers. Waverly's laugh made Nicole's soul sing even more. She felt like she already knew her although they had just met.  
As they finished up and Nicole paid, she linked arms with Waverly again. As they approached her truck, Waverly turned to look at her.

"Thank you so much, Nicole. No one has ever done anything this nice for me. This is the best first date I have ever been on." She took a step closer to Nicole, leaning in to kiss her.  
"Wait," Nicole said as she placed a finger on Waverly's lips, stopping her in her tracks. "The surprise isn't quite done yet."  
Waverly stared at her with bright doe-like eyes that were full of confusion. Nicole just smiled as she opened her truck door and lifted Waverly up into the seat, causing Waverly to laugh again. She drove to the park by the lake and parked. They began to walk down the same path they took soon after they had met, heading towards the lake and the rocks. Nicole felt Waverly grab her hand, linking their fingers as they walked through the moonlit woods.

They entered the clearing and walked to the waterline. Nicole smiled as she heard Waverly gasp in the night. The lake was illuminated in the light of the full moon, the water shimmering like diamonds. Dark mountains loomed in the distance, blanketed by millions of stars. There were no clouds in the sky and no lights around and more stars appeared by the minute.  
Waverly squeezed Nicole's hand. "And I thought this place was beautiful in the daylight! It's just...magical at night!" She turned to look at Nicole. "This is amazing. You are amazing."  
Nicole smiled as she brushed her thumb across Waverly's cheek. "A beautiful place especially for a beautiful woman. But wait, there's more!"  
She pulled Waverly by the hand towards the rock they sat on previously. They could see clearly in the moonlight and climbed up with ease, Nicole helping Waverly up. They sat down together looking out over the glistening water. Nicole looked down at her watch. "Just in time."  
"Just in time for what?" Waverly looked confused.  
Nicole laid onto her back, pulling Waverly back with her. She pointed up at the sky. "Just watch," she said as she pulled her in closer.  
Moments later, a meteor streaked across the sky. Nicole saw Waverly's eyes light up in the moonlight, a smile crossing both of their faces. Meteors began decorating the sky almost back to back. Some were closer than others, a few of them with bright green or orange tails. Waverly laid against her captured in awe, and Nicole couldn't help but smile. She leaned up onto her elbow so she could look down at her.

"So...c-can I ask you something?" Nervousness hit her like a ton of bricks.  
"Of course, Nicole. You can ask me anything."  
"Uhm...well, I, uh…" She pushed a strand of her hair from her face and took a deep breath, steadying her words and her mind. "I was, uhm, wondering if maybe you would like to, uh, be my girlfriend?" She smiled shyly in the silver light.  
Waverly smiled up at her as she wrapped her arms around Nicole's neck. "Most definitely. I would love to be your girlfriend."

Nicole's heart was beating fast in her chest. A childish grin spread across her face, pure joy radiating in her soul. She allowed herself to be pulled into a soft kiss. She momentarily pulled herself away to look into Waverly's eyes. "That makes me happy. Now, I can do this without hesitation."  
She leaned down and kissed Waverly again, this time a little harder, slipping her tongue between parted lips. She kissed her girlfriend with the passion that she felt inside. Girlfriend. She could get used to that. She rolled to her back, bringing Waverly to rest on top of her and wrapping her up in strong arms. Nicole held her tight, never wanting to let go as they got lost in each other, the sound of the gentle lake and creatures of the night singing their ancient love song around them.


End file.
